Peanuts are an annual plant
growing 30-60 cm height. It may look a bit strange, but peanuts belong to
leguminous plants, i.e. pulse family. Unlike other pulses, after one day blossom
peanuts sag down and grow towards the ground and mature (it suggests other name
– groundnuts) about 7 cm in the ground. Native to Brazil and Bolivia, peanuts
were cultivated by Incas 3500 years ago. There are four basic types of peanuts:
Virginia, Runner (Bold, Hsuji), Spanish (Java, Baisha) and Valencia (Redskins).

Harvest time

The peanuts needs from 150 to
200 days, depending on the type, before they can be harvested. It is late
September-November in China, May and October in India.

Growing area

India, Indonesia, South America,
China, USA

Uses

Used widely for snacks: roasted and
salted, fried, in bars, in biscuits, in bread, caramelized, chocolate coated
and so on. Also peanuts butter and oil are extracted.